Expert: Copter in Grand Canyon crash more likely to explode

Mohave County Search and Rescue

On Saturday evening, the Mohave County Sheriff's Office Search and Rescue received a call of a downed civilian helicopter near Grand Canyon West. Searchers were activated and responded to the search area. They were transported by helicopter and joined first responders on scene in the ongoing rescue efforts from the Hualapai Nation EMS, Hualapai Nation Police Department, Kingman DPS helicopter, Flagstaff DPS helicopter, Mercy Air helicopter, CareFlight helicopter, Classic helicopter, and Grand Canyon ARFF personnel. The Air Force also responded. The injured were transported to Las Vegas area hospitals. Rescuers remained on scene overnight until evacuated Sunday morning. In addition, River Medical and Lake Mohave Rancho Fire also responded supporting rescue efforts.

FLAGSTAFF (AP) – Six British friends boarded a sightseeing helicopter outside Las Vegas on their way to one of the busiest and noisiest stretches of the Grand Canyon – tribal land that is less regulated than the national park and allows tour pilots to descend into the natural wonder.

The group never came back from the Hualapai reservation in northwestern Arizona, where the crumpled wreckage of the EC-130 helicopter lay smoldering in the darkness of the rugged gorge.

Three British tourists died and four others were critically injured in the crash Saturday of a helicopter operated by Papillon Grand Canyon Helicopters, leaving federal investigators to determine what led the group's birthday celebration to end in tragedy.

Aviation attorney Gary C. Robb said potential factors could include winds gusting to an estimated 20 mph, pilot error, mechanical failure or company pressure to meet demand for the popular Grand Canyon air tours to the reservation.

Investigators are likely to pay special attention to Papillon's EC-130 helicopter, which generally lacks a system to keep it from exploding on impact, denying passengers a few extra minutes to try to escape, Robb said.

Witnesses described a "horrible" scene of flames, smoke and small explosions as well as two badly injured women.

Unlike the more tightly regulated air tours within Grand Canyon National Park, helicopters on tribal land function like an airborne shuttle service, quickly depositing tourists on landing pads for lunches or hikes at the river's edge or pontoon boat rides. Just as quickly, they whisk them away.

The Federal Aviation Administration granted the Hualapai Tribe an exemption nearly two decades ago to regulations on flight times, routes and total trips because the rules would harm the tribe's economy, which relies on the busy flow of tourists.

Papillon said it is cooperating with the investigation and abides by flight safety regulations that exceed those required by the FAA.

Hualapai tribal leaders said they're halting helicopter tours at the canyon for now and are working with federal investigators to "find out exactly what happened here, in what marks the first such incident to claim the life of a passenger at the West Rim in 15 years."

Wedding photographer Teddy Fujimoto said one woman appeared burned over most of her body and the other woman was covered in blood. "It's unimaginable, the pain," he said.